Arcain - I didn't realize he was quite that young. I'm with Fram on this none of my children went everyday at 5 weeks. And if it is the usual consistency, he's not constipated. My kids would push a hard pellet (varying sizes) usually followed by the back up which was normal. However both girls have pushed out hard movements that I swear were bigger than them.

Besides length of time between movements, what makes you think he is constipated?

Fram and dz - It's actually only the length of time between movements and the obvious discomfort, but the more I read -- confirmed by you both -- this seems normal. The consistency of what he passes is loose. I'm feeling this might be strike 2 on our pedi. I can't remember if they even asked about the consistency, but if they did I would have said it was normal, and they told me to do 1/2 oz pear/prune juice diluted in water. One of the articles I just looked at said this isn't even recommended for under 3 mos?!? I'm going to go with the advice on here and my gut mom instinct and stop trying to treat it. Now I'm feeling frustrated with our pedi again. Second time in 2 weeks I've felt like I got bad advice...not good.

I have, however, been trying gripe water for the gassiness. I haven't picked up Mylicon drops yet but will if this doesn't seem to work.

Arcain, my DD was VERY regular (god, that child can p00p) but I remember the doctor saying that it was totally normal for a kid to go 4-5 days without p00ping without discomfort. I also know a friend of mine with a new baby had her pedi (different doctor, different practice) say 6 days was fine as long as the consistency wasn't causing discomfort.

Arcain, I don't have anything to add to the p00p discussion, but HUGS to you over strike two instilling fear re your pedi. You know you can switch, right? You don't need to have any particular number of reasons to be justified in making a change - your uneasiness is plenty reason enough.

Arcain - regarding the naps. He's really too young to try a sleep schedule right now. I put my twins in pack & plays in the family room until they were about 12 weeks old. Then I started taking them upstairs and putting them in their cribs for "nap time". I found Weissbluth "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" to be really helpful in the early days. He talks about how long a baby should be awake at certain stages and how to look for sleepy signals so you know when to put them down. So you don't start by planning when the baby naps - you start by seeing how long they should be awake. Some babies can go 1 1/2 hours at 5 weeks - some need to sleep after only an hour of being awake.My kids took 4 naps a day even at 16 weeks. Even though the book said they should be down to 3 by then. I followed their lead and eventually we got to three, and then two naps a day. Of course they then dropped to one by 12 months - but that's the way it goes sometimes!I think most of us have read Weissbluth. He does offer wonderful advice for creating good sleep habits.Good luck - as far as the p00ping - I agree with others. Is he having a hard time getting it out, or is it simply infrequent? Little babies sometimes don't go every day, but that doesn't mean they are constipated.Maybe a copy of "What to Expect the First Year" or "Your Baby Week by Week" would be helpful. I used to read them after feeding my twins. They needed to be propped up for about 25 minutes after eating so I'd pop them in a bouncy and read with an itty bitty book light in the middle of the night. If you have a Kindle you can just use that!

Arcain-to echo what the other's have said, a few days with no BM in the early weeks is normal. As long as it's not like rabit p00p the baby is not constipated. I would do the bicycle movements with his legs, belly massage (make big circles around his belly clockwise) to help him stay comfortable. one thing my doc did tell me when DS was about 6 weeks old and seemed umcomfortable with gas was "farts feel funny." At about 6 weeks babies start to feel and realize their guts are doing things. So I wonder if your DS is more realizing and reacting rather than truly uncomfrotable?

I don't know if I;ve mentioned it, but you're a realy trooper for going through all the BF/Supplement/pumping. I did it wiht DS for 5 months and it's not easy. You really need to try and enjoy this time. As for sleep training, too early. you are not going to create bad habits this early, around 12 weeks is when you'll start to structure things more. But right now your goal is to let your DS sleep. And if it means sleeping on you, enjoy that time!

I stressed so much about DS when he was a baby and I feel I missed some of the joy. With DD I jsut enjoyed and life has been great. You can break bad habits IF they arrive.

Kiwi: Great reading your update on #2! I remembered that you EPed with #1 and wondering how it was going with #2.

Arcain: Yep, newborns can grunt and strain to get out what looks to us almost like diarrhea, but that's completely normal. It's just, yet again, their underdeveloped digestive systems. I am surprised that others say no BM for up to 5 days at 1 month old is normal though! I want to say my kids were going every minute at that age, but then again my memory gets hazy. Oh and your DS's sleep patterns sound completely normal for a 1 month old. Just hang in there. Things will change so quickly over the next couple of months.

AFM, things are going well! My DS (7.5 months) is nursing much better now again. Thank goodness. He doesn't like to take very much though, but at least he goes strong for about 4.5 to 5oz now and doesn't clamp down anymore! He's also been suffering with consipation. His sister could eat anything and was super regular. He, on the other hand, is on everything that should make him go, but he doesn't very easily.

DD (23 months) is a little parrot now! She talking non-stop! Such fun :) I am wondering if she's going to give up her nap soon. For those of you with older children, how can you tell? She goes in her crib and stays there without a fuss, but it takes her almost an hour to fall asleep on most days! Sometimes this can push the nap out to 4:30-6:30 and I wake her up at 6:30. She goes to bed again at 9:00 and usually takes another hour to fall asleep. Should I skip the nap and put her to bed earlier? TIA!

I recall several times where DS wouldn't go for 4-5 days when he was still under 3 months. It would still be loose once he'd go (and several times major explosions), but my nurses/pedis were never concerned.

Trouble... I'd say try to skip the nap and perhaps bedtime around 7ish? What time does she get up in the mornings? That may change as well so be prepared. My DS is in bed around 6:45 and usually asleep by 7. But he's up at 5:45-6am (but that works for our schedule... but s*cks on weekends!)

Thanks Kiwi on the hope for #2! I think that part of my problem was not liking the LC that was in the hospital. She was a little bit too judgemental for me. Like she was appalled that the night nurses had suggested that I try the n1pple shield to help him latch on. I think that I also just need more new moms support for it, so I may have to hunt down the bf cafe that people keep mentioning! I live out in the burbs, so I don't know what else might be around here vs. going in closer to Boston.

DD 3.2 is driving us crazy. She is such a good girl but knows how to push her parents buttons. She knows exactly what she wants. She also can be so dramatic about things, this week it is her "Snoogies" in her nose. I cant get her to blow her nose yet. Any suggestions on how to approach that? At least I know that when she is not with DH and I she is a perfectly mannered child. At least I know I have done something right. Who ever said terrible 2's was wrong in our house, it is def the terrible 3's.

DS is just about 8.5 months. He still is not sleeping. I have tried to let him cry it out. I can usually stand it but after 1 and a half of it I break and feed him. He goes back to bed after that, sometimes till 8 in the morning. I am not sure what to do since he crys like that every night. I know feeding him is not the correct thing to do but I have reached my breaking point. I have tried everything, feeding him later, crying it out, having him sleep on his belly, giving him motrin (teething) . I am not sure what I can do. Sometimes he cries so hard he vomits and that is just a diaster in itself in the middle of the night. Took him to the doctor last week just to check to make sure he did not have an ear infection but that was fine. HELP!!!!

Quad - Any time I mentioned hating 2, my mom would tell me 3 & 4 were worse. There are some days when I think DD1, 3.75, is going to be lucky to survive to 4. Between crying when ever someone disciplines her, pushing our buttons, not responding to us when we ask her a question and wanting to "help" me do every little thing, I"M going to be lucky to survive this stage. :-)

Trouble - For the first few weeks, DD would p00p CONSTANTLY. Loose p00ps all day long. But then, all of a sudden, it switched and she'd go once or twice very few days, but still loose.

Quad - That sounds awful :o( I think Weissbluth says it would be normal for a baby to wake up twice at night due to hunger even up to 9 months. Had your DS previously been STTN? That would be a different story, I suppose.

DD woke up at 12:45 last night and would not go back to sleep. I took the first turn, but kept falling asleep while I was rocking her. I felt so bad passing her off to DH because he had to be at work at 6:00 today!

Quad, is it just once during the night? And otherwise not generally crying?If so, I don't necessarily think it's the "wrong" thing to feed him. Even though many babies don't need it, I think even Ferber/Weissbluth agree that some babies do still need to eat during the night at that age.If it's every couple of hours, that's a different story.Whatever it is, best of luck! I know it's so hard.

Quad-we are right there with you. DS is 3.25 and wow, some days it's really a challenge. Not sure how to help with the snoogies. But DS likes to push each and every button. Ignoring and walking away is tough, and we're working really hard on doing that. I'm also trying to hold DS accountable for his actions. If he makes a mess in a fit, he cleans it up. He throws food, he's done eating and he cleans his plate up. I find being in the car most difficult. He acts out there most-yelling and throwing things. Sigh. I look at DD who is 6 mo and say to myself, in a few years you're going to be doing this to us. sigh. Everyone else I know says 3-4 is tough.

I complain about DS, but he really is a sweet boy who behaves perfectly most of the time. It's a few special rare moments, though they're tough and can really leave an impression for the whole day. I think part of the problem is DS is very verbal, has been for a long time and we think he's older and expect things at a higher level than he's really at. He is, in fact, only 3.

If your DS has been STTN my advise to see if DS could sleep through the night is to change his schedule. Change his diaper when you go to bed, wakes him up a little but not fully-see if doing that for a few days can reset his internal clock and he'll sleep better. I have found that when DS & DD have sleep disturbances they always went away after we did somethign different, like going away for a night. So then I started to russle them up a bit when they're sleeping to reset their clocks and it's always worked. After a night or two they're back to sleepign through the night. Personally I can't do CIO in the middle of the night-it would wake up my entire house.

Thanks Everyone. DS slept through the night at 5 weeks. But I should say that until last week, I did not put two and two together and although he was not eating in the middle of the night, he would wake for his binky. Since he was right next to me, I would just roll over and stick it back in his mouth at the first sign of a noise. So he was in our bedroom until we moved at the end of January and that is where I started to notice the trouble. I thought it was a mixture of moving, teething and a cold. But the more I thought about it, he probably was so used to me giving him the binky that when he woke while in his room and I could not hear him so it really woke him up. In the meantime, we started giving a bottle thinking he was hungry. So I guess did this to him but I don't know how to break it. Honestly, he drinks a bottle so fast in the middle of the night, it is just easier to change his diaper, give him the bottle and put him back to bed. Then he sleeps till 8 on the days I don't have to go into the office. Who wouldn't take 13 hours of sleeping if you have to get up for 10 min in the middle of the night to feed him.

So maybe feeding him is ok. I just don't know. DD was never like this. I have two totally different kids in this respect.

KAM, I think I will try what you said and ruffle him up to see if that works.

Medford - Yes it is just once during the night, around 1 or 2ish. Other than that he sleeps like a champ.

I am all over the map with this, sorry if it confusing. I am probably contradicting myself all over the place.

Trouble - if she's taking an hour to fall asleep and that's 4:30 does that mean you're putting her down at around 3:30? I only ask because I think that's sort of late to start with. My twins go down from 1:00-3:00 - sometimes not falling asleep for a while so 1:30-3:30 or so. I'd never let them sleep past 4:00. We hope for lights out at night at 8:00 so so start pj's toothbrushing books etc. by 7:15. Maybe your whole house is on a later schedule, but I'd try napping her a little earlier if possible.My twins are 2.9 and I've just started having a heck of a time getting them to fall asleep at nap. But once they go down, they are sleeping at least 1 1/2 hours still.I know there are some kids who give up the nap at age two - but I don't know how their mother's survive! :)

Quad, My mum always swore it was the terrible 3s, not the terrible 2s. My pediatrician said essentially the same thing yesterday at my DD's 3yr appointment. I think some people have the "terrible 2s" because their kids are frustrated with communication, whereas some of us get by with kids who can communicate ok and aren't as frustrated. However, when all kids hit 3 they get much more independent and strong-willed.

As for the nose blowing, this sounds wicked gross (and it is), but try this:Get a glass of milk and two straws. Have her put the straws up her nose. Have her make a game of blowing bubbles in the milk (she'll have to close her mouth). If she's struggling with this, have her try humming as loudly as she can with her mouth closed. If the allure of blowing nose bubbles through a straw into milk isn't enough to get her blowing her nose, I don't know what is (maybe some food coloring to make the bubbles more exciting?)

It's wicked gross, and yes, you are opening the door for milk bubbles all the time when she's drinking milk with a straw, but she'll learn what it feels like to blow her nose.

Ha Lisa, that is gross but I think Ill try it. Ill try anything because she (and I) would be so much happier if she had a clearer nose.

One other question. So DD has been potty trained to Pee on the potty since the summer. P00p is another story. She has ALWAYS since birth had an issue with constipation. I know it hurts her and I hated seeing her that way so she has been on Mrylax for about 3-4 months. Now she goes regularly. I have got her to P00p on the poppy a bunch of times, very randomly. But she still gets all worked up when sitting the potty to go. I sometimes feel like we have it down, like this past weekend she went 4 times on the potty. She does wear a pull up because that is how she is more comfortable. I am pretty sure today at the babysitter she went in the pull up. We talked to the doctor about this at her 3 yr old check up and she told me it was great that she was trained to pee but not to get bent out of shape about the p00p until 3 1/2. I was pretty shocked by that as I thought that was too old. She said, do not push her becuase it will just make it worse. We have tried, wearing underwear, sicker charts, etc and nothing seems to help. Do you think I should just wait until she is ready. I dont push her but try to encourage her the best i can.

Quad - when DD goes on the potty, is she on a little potty, or the regular potty? I ask because even though my DD hasn't had any issues with constipation, she still wants a step when she goes p00p. She is using the regular potty, so her feet are nowhere near the floor, but if I move her stepstool to the potty, she has a place for her feet, and she can hold her knees up a bit (the squatting position of knees a little above pelvis helps with going p00p).

I think making sure your DD can get into a comfortable position will help with wanting to go on the potty. I wonder if you can tell when DD is going in a pull-up, if she has a position that is most comfortable for her that can be done on a potty? Even if it means pulling out the little potty. (Clorox or Lysol wipes are a great way to clean out the little potty, BTW)

If the ped is aware of DD's constipation issues, she might be letting you know its OK not to push using the potty, because the stress of trying to go on the potty might compound any stress around p00ping in general that makes the constipation worse.

My DD has been trained since she was two. She's 2.9 now and she still prefers to do her p00 on the little potty. I think it's just more comfortable for her. Even with a step stool, I don't think she gets a comfortable angle with the big potty.I'd follow the pedi's advice about not pushing her to go if she's not ready.Good luck!

Trouble - if she's taking an hour to fall asleep and that's 4:30 does that mean you're putting her down at around 3:30? I only ask because I think that's sort of late to start with. My twins go down from 1:00-3:00 - sometimes not falling asleep for a while so 1:30-3:30 or so. I'd never let them sleep past 4:00. We hope for lights out at night at 8:00 so so start pj's toothbrushing books etc. by 7:15. Maybe your whole house is on a later schedule, but I'd try napping her a little earlier if possible. My twins are 2.9 and I've just started having a heck of a time getting them to fall asleep at nap. But once they go down, they are sleeping at least 1 1/2 hours still. I know there are some kids who give up the nap at age two - but I don't know how their mother's survive! :)Posted by misslily

Thanks for responding to my question, Miss Lily. Yes, we are on a generally later schedule than most households with young children. DD usually wakes up between 8am and 9am, hence the later nap schedule. I think it's been about a month now that she's playing around in her crib for so long before she finally goes to sleep and the nap time hasn't changed (yes, we tend to put her down between 3:30 and 4pm). So that's why I was thinking maybe to just cut the nap and put her to bed early. I suppose we can try and see what happens? It's just that the 9pm bedtime routine works well for having a family dinner every night (which I enjoy because I leave for work before they even wake up in the morning). A 7pm bedtime would make that very difficult! She's super happy though and content to just play around before she goes to sleep so maybe I shouldn't mess with a good thing.